Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10
A BUD THAT LIVED.


good many years he had not followed
his profession. hut he wasstillthe medi-
cal man 70 the tip OF his fingers. 1t
was warm evening in the early
pant OF September, and. after din
ner I followed the Doctor and his
wife on to the many -pillared, creeper-
covered yeranda that was broad enough
for coach-and.iour. The night
was cloadless, and the white moonlight
lay upon the lawn and on the open
spaces between tho clumps of timber
in the undulating park-hke land be-
You'd. Moths and fire.hies were out
in force. and the air was lively with tho
chirruping Of grssshoppers and the
bird.like whisthng OF the frogs. We
sat and smoked, made few obserya-
tons. and surrendered ourselves to
the soft, bewitching loneliness OF
The night. After awhile Mrs. Mar
tin retired within, leaving us two
old cronics 10 ourselves. We had dis
cussed medical matters, theology, and
politics for considerable time, when
the chances OF conversation led me to
remark that il was astonishing how lit
tie Of romance there was in real life.
/ was aware that the observation was
neither brilliant nor original, but then
neither was it absolutely ridiculous.
Yet Martin only laughed in a knowing
sort OF way, rs much as 10 say, My
dear fellow, you don't know everything.
Do you know romance in real life when
Won zee il ?"
This construction OF his laugh caused
me to say: "I have seen something OF
life, as you know bat rs far as my ex-
periepce goes am an entire stranger
to romance"
"Did you never meet with any one
that was not stranger?" asked Mar
Tin. in his tempting. half-sstiric way.
al baye met many who have kissed
the Barney Stone, If that is what you
mean"
..No, that is not what l mean. i
suppose you have had hints or sugges-
tions of romance in your own life,
haven't your"
After thinking bit, answered,
"Oh, yes; few. But they came to
nothing. They died in the bud"
Certainly but they might not have
died in the bud. And had they only
kept on living and growing what gar-
den OF romance youl prosaic life would
have been |" he said, laughing, but
with no challenge in his laugh.
"As matter Of fact, however" l
said, "they died and it is my belief
they generally do so. In actual life the
buds die, but in fiction, and in fiction
only we have the full bloom and the
golden fruit.
at think it probable, following the
analogy OF nature. that for every seed
that sprouts and shoots, million lie
dormant. Indeed, il it were not so the
prossical would become the romantic
from its very scarcity. Your pipe is
ont are you tired ~
"Not in the least"
"Well, fill yonr pine, and il you
care to listen, will .efl you q true tale
which is not, think, hundred leagues
from the romantic"
"You are sure il is true?
"Quite sure"
How do you know. that
"Well, it concerns myself and-my
wife"
"Indeed Well, am glad to hear
it go ahead"
THE DOCTORS STORY.
L was a young fledgling physician
fresh from the schools. had studied
in Edinburgh, Dublin, Paris, and Wen
ma. was well equipped with medals
aud parchments and, having been
told SO by half dozen learned bodies,
/ had no doubt that / was remarka-
bly, clever young man, destined to be
one of the darlings OF fortune and an
ornament to the profession. Mean
while l was poor, and fortune in her
coy way was holding back. My mother
and sister lived in quiet, genteel
way, in pretty little cottage in
the country. My mother had almost
beggared herself to educate me in the
style my father had mapped out before
he died. / was not at all inclined to
limit the Claims she had upon me, for
il was entirely due to her affection and
self-sacrifice that l was bred nobly to a
noble profession, instead of being
mesnly taught mean trade. When
the time came for fortune to open her
reticule and make me q present OF q
good practice, must say she did not
show to advantage. The jade threw in
my way nothing more tempting than
y position as assistant to a metro
politan doctor, whose practice was
large but not very remunerative, as it
lay mainly in poor quarters of the city.
Still, money apart, the position had
certain advantages In the matter of ex-
perience, and more especially that,
owing to parchments and medals l was
enabled to obtain an appointment on
the visiting medical staff at Bellevue
Hospital. This brought me into con-
tact with most of the leading surgeons
and physicians, ON to which waters l
hopefully cast every crunb OF bread l
could raise, in view OF the promise so
well known to all needy walters on the
banks Of the river Of cnance.
tDe day went into the fever ward
10 see q patient in whom / was inter
csted. The poor fellow, an English
man, was delirious, and crying piteous-
" to his mother, as hc imagined the
nnrse to be, to forgive him for running
away and leaving her 10 go into the
workhouse somewhere in Shropshire.
The nurse YVES evidently touched, and
did her best to sooth him. As l drew
near she drew back Having made my
examination i turned to leave, and
then for The first time did | behold the
nurse with the eyes OF n man instead
of with the somewhat supercillious
eyes Of visiting physician.
Jall, with black hair and eyes,
face pale but curiously refined
and full OF infinite attraction, she
stood gracefully, withher hands clasped
in iroat OF her; and in her plain, we'll
fitting dress of gray stuff, with white
linen collar and cuffs. she made, /
thought, marvellously striking pic
ture. bowed to her. but / did not
pass on. On the contrary, engaged
her in conversation about my patient.
She was quite sef-possesssd, answered
my questions intelEgently. and in some
OF her remarks suggested knowledge
that is not often found in hospital
nurse. Her voice was singularly pure
ard sweet, and there was certain
something in her manner that limited
Of high breeding.
ST have not seen You before, /